Free prenatal visits increased from 4 to 8 for pregnant women

The Department of Health has launched #Momconnect which gives expectant women access to important pregnancy information on their cellphones.

n South Africa virtually every pregnant woman has either her own cell phone or access to a cell phone. The Department of Health’s research has found that the appropriate use of cell phone technology has the potential to accelerate interventions of proven value like prenatal care.

This technology allows pregnancies to be registered on a central database which allows Community healthcare workers access vital information prior to clinic visits by expectant mothers. Clinic visits are essential in making sure the mother and baby are healthy throughout the pregnancy.

MomConnect has increased clinic visits from four to eight. Pregnant mothers should visit clinics during these periods:

Before week 14

Week 20

Week 26

Week 30

Week 34

Week 36

Week 38

Week 40

These visits are highly effective in ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

f you suspect you are pregnant, click here for more information. If you are already pregnant, visit your nearest hospital, clinic or professional medical facility and ask about registering for #MomConnect.

If you are a first time visitor to a health facility, you will be asked to:

Fill out a form and a folder will be opened.

Bring your identity document (ID).

Disclose any medication you are taking.

{Provide clinic or hospital card if previously registered at the facility.

What is MomConnect?

MomConnect uses cell phones to register each pregnancy in SA and once registered, send each mother stage-based messages to support her and her baby. It is also an application that can provide feedback to the health system so that the individual needs of pregnant women can be met.

Once registration is complete, the application is able to send targeted health promotion messages to pregnant women to improve their health and that of their infants

The platform also provides pregnant women with an interactive mechanism to feed back on the service they have received.

The registration process

Registration will take place at a facility where pregnant women are attending for the first time.

By the women themselves using their own phone with the support of the health worker.

Alternatively by the health worker on her own cell phone or one belonging to the clinic

It is free to register and get messages which are available in all 11 official languages

By phoning the number *134*550*2# which is free to the user

If neither of these are possible, because there is no connectivity or there are no phones, there is a paper registration that later will be captured

Pre-registration can done outside of the facility by pregnant women or community health workers by phoning *134*550# or *134*550*3# respectively.

Messaging Services

Once the pregnant woman is registered, she will get regular messages appropriate to the stage of her pregnancy and/or the age of her baby.

These messages will be in the form of reminders of what to do or useful and interesting information which will help her to take better care of herself and her baby.

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